Sentence for former radical Islamist

Vanessa B., a 38-year-old woman from the Lyon region, was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a special criminal court in Paris for joining the Islamic State (IS) in Syria in 2013 with her two children. She was also convicted of attempted murder against her husband, who was seriously injured by a shotgun shot in Raqqa, Syria, in 2014.

Court considers conflicting statements

The court president noted that Vanessa B. described experiencing "particularly intense domestic violence" during her time with her husband, Mohamed Skalab. He mentioned that Skalab's conflicting statements made an acquittal on the attempted murder charge "juridically impossible," though the court gave it "a bit set aside" when determining the final sentence.

Background of trauma and radicalization

The court acknowledged Vanessa B.'s troubled past, including being placed in foster care at six months old and enduring numerous violent experiences, including sexual abuse. This history, the court said, provided a "key to understanding" her "particularly violent radicalization" that led her to join IS in Syria, where she remained until the group's defeat in 2019.

Efforts to renounce radicalism

Vanessa B. was also credited with making "considerable efforts" to renounce her radical beliefs since her return to France in 2022. The court noted that she convinced the judges she had turned away from religious extremism and no longer posed an immediate threat. The trial, which lasted three days, was described as calm and dignified by the court president.

Family losses and sentencing details

Vanessa B.'s two daughters, one of whom was with her in Syria, were killed in a bombing. A son born in Syria survived. The public prosecutor had asked for a 16-year sentence with two-thirds of the surety period, which would have prevented any sentence reductions. However, the court did not impose a surety period in the final sentence.